How much did Alabama film incentives benefit in-state productions?

A little less than half of all film projects that benefited from Alabama taxpayer money were in-state productions.

In-state productions received about $10.6 million from the state since the tax incentive law meant to bolster the business (The Entertainment Industry Incentive Act) was passed in 2009. The productions spent about $40.7 million to qualify for the tax incentives.

According to the Alabama Film Office, the following in-state productions received or qualified for tax incentives: "Lifted," "October Baby," "Counter-Clockwise," "SkyHook," two seasons of "Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford," "The Phoenix Rises," "Home Front," "Grace Unplugged," "Yellow Day," "Oculus," "Mom's Night Out, "Convergence," "Jersey Belle," "Somnia," "Perfect Blend," "Heidi to the Dresscue," and "Nigel and Oscar vs. the Sasquatch."

Kathy Faulk, Alabama Film Office manager, wrote in an email "no in-state projects were turned down due to funds that were absorbed by out of state production."

"...The new regulations we are implementing will prevent the likelihood of this ever happening in the future," Faulk wrote.

A total of 43 projects qualified for tax incentives and 32 productions received about $22.4 million from the state, according to numbers the Alabama Film Office released two months ago. In total, the productions spent about $86.5 million in state-qualified payroll and production expenditures since 2009.

Faulk wrote the email in response to an AL.com report that stated Alabama is paying in part for the salaries of some high-paid movie stars due to the language of the state's film incentive law.

Greg Canfield, Alabama Commerce Department director, called it an "unintended consequence" of the film incentive law.

"I think we've got to recognize that we want to attract projects that attract talented stars and talented directors, but I think we can limit the amount we would pay and incentivize for that out-of-state talent and payroll in favor of hiring more instate talent," said Canfield, whose department oversees the Alabama Film Office. "That's what we're working towards doing."

The Alabama Film Office denied an AL.com records request asking for financial audits, production budgets, income tax reimbursements, and other financial records related to the film program.